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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. field — for sport
  3. field — farmland
  4. squash — to crush
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. pit — a hole
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fine — all right
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. squash — the sport
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bowl — a dish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com